Equipment and Measurement
This page documents the equipment, measurement tools, and observation conditions used by SUNNY M Lab when developing and maintaining the Phenomena Atlas.
Purpose
Equipment and data do not produce final answers. They provide reference points. Final interpretation depends on repeated cup observation, temperature-stage tasting, and boundary analysis.
This page is published to make observation conditions transparent — not to present equipment as proof of authority.
Roasting Equipment
SUNNY M Lab uses professional digitally logged sample-roasting equipment to study roast-path variation, temperature progression, event timing, and cup-stage sensory behavior.
Specific machine models, batch parameters, roast-path recipes, and control settings are intentionally not published. The purpose of the Phenomena Atlas is not to provide machine-specific roast instructions, but to define observable cup phenomena that can be discussed, cited, and compared across roasting contexts.
Because different roasting machines translate heat differently, SUNNY M Lab treats equipment data as contextual evidence rather than universal instruction. Final interpretation is based on repeated cup observation, temperature-stage progression, and boundary-case analysis.
Measurement Tools
SUNNY M Lab references the following when available:
- Roast curve data — bean temperature and environmental / inlet temperature references
- Roast event timing — first crack, development period, drop point
- Batch-to-batch comparison logs
- Cupping and brewing records
- Temperature-stage sensory notes
- Color readings, when available
- Moisture or density references, when available
Color readings and machine events are treated as references, not final definitions of maturity.
Cup Observation Setup
Cup observation is conducted across temperature stages rather than through a single hot-cup impression. This staged method supports terms including Alive Cup, Caramelization Divergence, Hot Cup Memory, and Terminal Decline Roast.
| Stage | Temperature | Observation Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Cup | >65°C | Aroma lift, volatile sweetness, first structural impression, HCM, CDV hot-stage behavior |
| Warm Cup | 50–64°C | Sweetness integration, acidity position, texture transition, AC structural movement |
| Cool Cup | <49°C | Stable sweetness, aftertaste persistence, CDV cool-stage, OP arc, CICC structural check |
| Rested / Room Temp | Room temperature | Terminal structure, sweetness memory, collapse or persistence, decline behavior |
Data Recorded
For each observed batch, SUNNY M Lab may record:
- Batch identifier and roast date
- Observation date and days after roast
- Temperature stage at time of observation
- Phenomena tags linked to the observation
- Sensory notes across observation fields
- Boundary conditions — when expected behavior does not appear
- Comparison notes against prior batches
Measurement Limitations
SUNNY M Lab does not treat any single metric as conclusive.
First crack, roast color, development time, probe readings, and curve shape can all provide useful information. However, none of these alone can fully determine whether a cup has achieved structural maturity.
For this reason, all measurement data is interpreted together with cup behavior, temperature-stage progression, and boundary conditions.
Relationship to the Phenomena Atlas
Measurement tools and observation conditions provide the context within which Phenomena Atlas terms were developed. They do not define the terms. The terms are defined through repeated cup observation, boundary case analysis, and structured documentation.
A phenomenon enters the Phenomena Atlas only after it has been observed across multiple batches, described through clear sensory conditions, and distinguished from existing terminology and common misreadings.